In playing the game of golf, when a golf ball is near the green, a golfer will often take two or three clubs, including a putter, a chipping iron and, in some cases, a wedge out of the golf bag and walk towards the location of the golf ball. While one club is being used, the other club or clubs are typically placed on the ground.
When the club is placed on the ground, if the grass is wet due to rain, watering or dew, the handgrip of the club will become wet. The wet handgrip affects the golfer's ability to properly hold and use the club. In addition, the golf course maintenance crew may use herbicides and/or insecticides on the grass. When the handgrip is placed on the grass, a transfer of these undesirable chemicals to the handgrip and to the hand can occur.
Various patents teach of ways to elevate the handgrip off of the surface of the grass when the club is placed on the ground. However, these devices suffer from serious drawbacks, making them undesirable to use.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,839 issued to Lumbattis, Jr. shows a device for supporting a golf club off the ground. This device consists of a flat disc or V-shaped support with an aperture to receive the handgrip portion of the golf club. A significant drawback of this device is that it has the potential for damaging the surface of the golf course. The weight of the club will push the legs or edge of the disc into the ground's surface, marking it. If the device is used on the green, damage to the green can occur, which is especially problematic.
A similar device is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,581 issued to Boberg. In this device, a ring with a slot is placed over the handgrip to support the handgrip off of the ground. As with the Lumbattis device, the thin disc has the potential to damage the surface of the golf course. Furthermore, players will often place additional clubs on top of the elevated club, so that all clubs are elevated off of the ground. Because of the inclusion of a slot in the Boberg device, the club can be forced out of the slot, defeating the purpose of the device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0096660 A1 discloses a sleeve which slides over the end of the golf club covering the handgrip. While this device keeps the handgrip from getting wet, the entire surface of the sleeve will become wet when it contacts the ground. As the golfer picks up the sleeve to remove it, the moisture from the sleeve is transferred to the golfer's hands, defeating the purpose of the product.